1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a drug dispensing box and cartridge having a mutually coupled structure, and more particularly, to a coupled structure between a drug dispensing box and a cartridge, which are components of apparatus for automatically dispensing drugs, unlike a conventional apparatus for manually dispensing drugs.
2. Description of the Related Art
In general, a dose of drug according to a patient's prescription may include various kinds and types of drugs. The dose of drug classified according to the patient's prescription may be transferred to the patient in a state of being contained in a basket.
Drugs to be contained in one basket are gathered into one basket from boxes, in which various kinds of drugs are contained, according to kinds and numbers of drugs written on a patient prescription. Then, the basket in which the corresponding drugs are gathered is transferred to the patient, and then, the patient takes the drugs gathered in the basket.
In conventional ways, to gather various drugs into one basket, medical experts such as pharmacists may manually select drugs according to a patient's medical prescription to take the selected drugs into the basket. Thus, it may be necessary to determine accuracy in the collection of the drugs again. There is possibility of occurrence of drug misadventure because it is difficult to secure accuracy in administration. Also, it takes a long time to gather drugs according to a patient's prescription because the gathering process is complicated to deteriorate working efficiency in addition to the possibility of the occurrence of the drug misadventure. Thus, studies with respect to methods and technologies for improving accuracy and efficiency in the gathering of drugs for each unit dose according to the patient's prescription to provide convenience of users such as pharmacists and previously prevent drug misadventure from occurring are needed.